Anarkali Biryani

• 1/2 kg rice
• 375 gm boneless chicken
• 250 gm yogurt
• 5 green chilies, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp garlic ginger paste
• 1/2 tsp jailfel and jalwatrey powder
• 1/4 bunch fresh coriander, chopped
• 1/4 bunch mint leaves, chopped
• 8 whole black pepper
• 6 cloves
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 4 green cardamoms
• 4 sticks cinnamon
• 20 cashew nuts
• 20 pistachios
• 20 chilghozas
• 1 tsp red food color
• Few bay leaves
• 2 tbsp crushed pomegranate seeds (anardana)
• 50 gm dry plums
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tbsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp kewra
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup ghee

METHOD:

• Heat 1 cup ghee in a pan, add big and small cardamoms, cloves, bay leaves, 2 cinnamon sticks and whole black pepper and fry it for 1-2 minutes.
• Add garlic and ginger paste and onions together. Let them cook till they change color in light brown, then add1 tsp cumin seeds. Now cook it till the onions change its color into golden brown.
• Add tomatoes and green chilies and lower the flame. Cook it for 2-3 minutes and then add 1 1/2 red chili powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp turmeric powder and salt. Mix it and then add yogurt.
• In a bowl marinate chicken with 1/2 tsp garlic ginger paste, salt, 1 tsp red food color, 1 tsp red chili powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp cumin powder and mix it well with your hands.
• In a pan heat little oil and sauté the marinated chicken for 4-5 minutes. Remove it from heat.
• In other pan heat 1 tbsp ghee and roast all the nuts in it till they change their color in light golden. Remove them from heat.
• In a wok heat water for rice. Add bay leaves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1/4 tsp cumin seeds and salt in water. When water starts boiling add rice.
• In gravy add layer of chicken, coriander and mint leaves, dry plums and pomegranate seeds. When rice is half cooked add layer of drained rice on gravy. Then add roasted nuts and remaining rice.
• Add kewra and 2 tbsp ghee on top and now cook it covered. First increase the heat for 1 minute and when steam forms then lower the heat and put the biryani on dum for 10-15 minutes.
• Serve hot with raita and salad.